Christ Over Me, Christ Under Me, Christ Beside Me

Every Wednesday we gather at All Saints for a short time of prayer, bible readings and reflections. We use the Celtic Morning Prayer service that the Northumbrian Community at Iona developed. One of the prayers that we use is a Prayer of St Patrick, which is

Christ as a light illumine and guide me, Christ as a shield overshadow me, Christ under me, Christ over me, Christ beside me on my left and my right. This day be within and without me, lowly and meek, yet all powerful. Be in the heart of each who speaks unto me. This day be within and without me, lowly and meek, yet all powerful. Christ as a light, Christ as a shield, Christ beside me on my left and my right.

It is a prayer that is all encompassing, a prayer that looks to God as a source of ultimate protection and blessing. It is a prayer of dependence on God.

In this weeks reading we are invited by St Matthew into some of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. It is an invitation to not worry about the things of life and to look to God. That can seem harsh and glib potentially in a world where weekly war and natural disaster inflict huge sufferings on humanity. People need food, water, shelter, clothes and medicine. To not worry about where these “things” may come from would be odd? Yet they do come. The call on the world for help, the call on our hearts from those who can, mean some of those needs being met.

Is that God providing? Or is it people responding? Or is it God’s people in this instance responding to the need of God’s people? Perhaps it is hard to separate where God’s response starts and the action of Gods people begins. I suspect they overlap, under and over, left and right, within and without as St Patrick prayed.

This week Messy Muddy Church meet at All Saints for worship at 10.30 – its a great time of creative and exploratory worship together. Bring your journey prayer stick from last time, or grab another one and join the fun.

WORSHIP THIS WEEKEND – 12^th FEBRUARY 2023

• 8am – Holy Communion – All Saints – Revd Lizzie
• 10am – Sung Holy Communion – St Marys – Revd Lizzie
• 10.30am – Muddy Messy Church – All Saints – Muddy Church Team
• 7.15pm – Generations – All Saints

THE WEEK AHEAD

• Wednesday 15^st Feb 9.00am – Celtic Morning Prayer – All Saints
• Thursday 16^th Feb 10am – Holy Communion at St Mary’s Church
• Saturday 18^th 12.00 – 2pm – Saturday Lunches
• Sunday 19^th Feb
  • 10am – Sung Holy Communion with Baptism at St Marys
  • 10.30am – Sung Holy Communion All Saints – Revd Susan Allman

May the world know Gods protection and abundant love and care

Lizzie